Get Ready For Some Hard Times

Get Ready For Some Hard Times

GNLCC 11/27/2005 Daniel 12:1-4 Matthew 24:3-25 Revelations 13:1-18

People like to know the future. They are fascinated with the prophecies of Nostradomous. But there is a prophet who predicted accurately the rise of the Persian Empire, the Greek Empire and the Roman Empire. Daniel was so exact in his prediction, that people want to say that his book was written much later than it was. God showed Daniel what was going to happen at the end of the world, even before Jesus came on the scene. If Daniel was right about his other prophecies, chances are, He’s going to be right about his final prophecy.

There are people who believe what the bible teaches, but they are waiting to do certain things before they get serious about following God. They intend on coming in at a later time. Their plan may or man not work depending on when the rapture takes place.

The rapture is that instant moment in which all of a sudden, Jesus takes away those who are living for him before the rise of the anti-Christ. The Bible teaches that after the rapture, everyone who is left should get ready for some really hard times. Today we are going to look at some of those hard times.

Suppose the rapture took place on a Saturday afternoon at 1pm. Some of us would be in the middle of choir rehearsal. What would you think when all of a sudden, some of the choir members just vanished. Some of us would be on the highway, when all of a sudden we’d see cars coming at us out of control with no drivers. Some of us would be shopping, and as we handed money to the cashier, she would disappear. Some of us would be at a game, when all of a sudden, some of the players, the refs, and the other fans, would just be gone

Some of us will be listening to the radio and others watching tv, then we hear, we interrupt this program with a special bulletin. Several airplanes all over the country have crashed. It is believed the planes were hijacked and deliberately crashed by terrorists. You then call for your husband or your parent or your child, to come listen to this broadcast but there is no response. You go to the room where you thought the person was, but nobody is there. You then here a siren coming down the street saying, stay in your house. We are under attack by unknown terrorist.

You look at the TV again and some official is encouraging the nation to be calm. “ Something strange has happened but the government is on top of it. Although millions of people are being reported missing around the world, the situation is under control. Please do not use your automobile because there are abandoned cars all along the highway.”

At this point you realize, that the rapture has taken place and you have been left behind. Your plan to get right one day, has failed. You cry God, “Oh Jesus, I’m sorry for my sins. Please take me. Please take me too.” You realize that it is too late, but you remember hearing my sermon and you decide, well since the Bible was right about the rapture, it must be right about everything else too. So you decide to give your live for Christ and to try to win as many others as possible before the tribulation period.

At first the whole world is thrown into confusion over what has happened. Some say aliens have abducted people. Some say it was the work of terrorists working with a foreign governments. Some are bold enough to say the rapture came. Some will say the idea of God taking some people without taking all is ridiculous. After all, look at how many good people who went to church including bishops, pastors, elders, deacons, ushers, choir members, and bible teachers are still here.

The world will be hungry for new leadership. The word of God teaches that an eloquent leader will arise with great political skills. At first he will bring hope and peace to the world. People from all over the world will adore him. They will be won over buy his charm and his wit. It will only be later that his true colors will begin to shore. This awesome leader will come from Satan himself. He is identified as the Anti-Christ.

His crowning moment will come from an assassination. Someone is going to give him a fatal wound. But the anti-Christ will rise from the dead. He will have a partner that will serve him. This partner will be like a religious leader who will be able to do all kinds of miracles even calling fire to come down upon the earth. Many people will believe that the Anti-Christ must be God. After all, he was raised from the dead.